Letter: Europe's choice for president

Sir: Your speculation as to who might succeed Jacques Delors forgot one important detail. Under the Maastricht treaty, the new Commission requires the approval of the European Parliament to take office. Indeed, prior to the collective vote of confidence in the Commission, the European Parliament is to vote separately on the choice of president. It is unthinkable that a president-designate rejected by the freshly elected European Parliament would be able to take office.

It is therefore surely out of the question that Sir Leon Brittan could become Commission president, coming from a country and a party that has opted out of the two key policy areas with which the Union will deal in the Nineties, especially if, as seems likely, there will be a centre-left majority in the European Parliament.

Yours faithfully,

RICHARD CORBETT

Antwerp,

Belgium

28 February